Thursday, October 29, 2015

10 Daily Practices for a Successful Addiction Recovery

In early addiction recovery, getting into some type of daily
routine can be very beneficial to staying sober long-term. For many
addicts who have just finished treatment at their addiction treatment centre,
'real life' can seem very scary. And too much free, unscheduled time can lead
to thoughts about using again. And while it is important not to over schedule yourself, creating
unneeded stress in your life, it is good
to have daily routines that will assist you on your road to recovery.

Your Daily Rituals for Successful
Addiction Recovery

It is true that not every method works for every person, but
the following daily activities will most definitely help any recovering addict
stay sober — especially when incorporated within the first year of recovery.

1. Make your bed.

This may sound
like a silly, overly-simple task that should have nothing to do with recovery.
But in fact, making your bed each morning has many benefits for all people, not just those in
addiction recovery. Firstly, it gives you a sense of accomplishment, giving you
a 'feel-good' boost throughout the day. Being able to stick to a simple task
such as making your bed each day, and seeing the positive effect that just a
moment of your time can make on the rest of your day, you will be inclined to
pick up other habits such as putting your dirty laundry in the hamper instead
of on the floor. Plus, it feels so much nicer to climb into a well-made bed at
night instead of a messy one.

2. Remind yourself to be grateful.

Each and every
day, take a photo of something that made you feel grateful and upload it into an album. Whether it is a beautiful
sunset, a photo of your friend that you went to dinner with or a bird you saw
chilling in the park. Finding something each and every day to be thankful for
will help you find the good in even the worst of days and help you keep a
positive outlook on life. Plus, it will be a great way for you to look back on
your life in years to come.

3. Go for a walk.

Whether you go for
a walk around the neighbourhood, head to the gym or take a dance lesson,
incorporating some type of physical activity into each day is important.
Physical activity has incredible healing powers for the mind, body and soul and
will accelerate your progress in addiction recovery if you let it.

4. Meditate.

Mindfulness
meditation has been proven to increase chances of long-term sobriety for
those in addiction recovery by giving addicts the tools necessary to take life
one moment at a time.
When you live life in the moment, you will experience much less stress and
anxiety because you rid yourself of worrying and negative thought processes. Just
10-15 minutes of mindfulness meditation can increase your chances of a
successful addiction recovery.

5. Talk to someone.

Hang out with
people you love. Have dinner with a fellow recovering addict. Whatever you do,
reach out and connect to someone who is important to you each and every day.
Sharing things such as how your day went and how you are generally feeling will
help you keep from bottling feelings inside, causing unwanted stress and
anxiety. Plus, if they are having a bad day it feels great to be someone who
can help cheer them up too.

6. Make lists.

Every night before
bed, write down your schedule for the next day. Make a list of things that need
to be done, and then schedule them. The more structure you have to your days,
the less likely you are to run into stress by forgetting to do things or
running out of time. Stress is one of the most significant relapse
triggers, so anything that keeps stress at bay is helpful in addiction
recovery.

7. Eat right and hydrate.

Food is fuel for
your body. And just as you would only put the highest grade of petrol in your car,
you should only put the highest grade of food in you! Eating right and staying
hydrated by drinking lots of water will not only relieve stress, but it
will make you feel great from the inside out – ready to conquer each and every
day!

8. Do something you enjoy.

Reserve at least
20 minutes of each day to do something that relaxes you. Whether it is painting
a picture, reading a book, or doing a crossword puzzle, it is important to take
time each and every day to just let yourself go.

9. Make meetings a priority.

Meetings are
important. Whether you are feeling down, recovering from a cold or simply do
not feel like going to your recovery meeting – just go. Especially in early
recovery, it is important to keep up with meetings. Read “Do I Need Recovery Meetings to Stay
Sober?” for more information.

10. Remind yourself why you are in addiction recovery.

Last but
definitely not least, take a moment each day to remember the reasons that you
are in addiction recovery in the first place. Why is getting and staying sober
important to you? Write a list and keep it on your mirror or in your wallet and
take a look at it each and every day.

Living Sober in Addiction Recovery

It is important to remember that addiction recovery will be
most difficult in the beginning. But over time, if you incorporate all of these
daily practices, and anything else that you find calming into your daily life,
you can achieve
success in recovery.